The tip wasn't real (it came from Detective Lt. Thierry Croizer), but was part of a demonstration of a new tip texting system the police department has launched.

For the most part, Tinti said the new tip texting service was put in place in an effort for the police department to get more information about would-be crimes and ones that have already been committed.

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For years, Tinti said, the department has had a call-in tip line, but it has not been very active. On average, Tinti said, the department gets two calls a month that way.

Tinti said the department knows the community has much more in the way of information they can provide to make the city a safer place.

"We are using technology to fight crime," Tinti said recently at a Public Safety Summit. "A person may be on the street and see something that may be valuable to us and that they may not feel comfortable calling us on the (tips line). This allows that person to use a phone to transmit the information anonymously."

Tinti said that the service, which cost the department $1,700 a year, is provided by a company called Tipsoft. It can be accessed at http://www.tipsoft.com/ where people can sign up.

For cell IPhone and Android users, an app is available.

The way it works, Croizer said, is that users are given an "alias," or identification number.

When a tipster types in information, it is texted to police dispatchers at the Garraghan Drive headquarters. The information can then be passed out to police officers or detectives for follow up.

Tipsters can also text in photographs, Tinti said.

Tinti said that officers can have a texting conversation with the tipsters, but do not know their names unless the tipster wants to be identified.

Tinti said that unlike the tip phone line, the texting system does allow police the ability to get more information by having the option of texting back. On the tip phone line, if a person does not leave a call back number, it may be impossible to have a conversation with that person, Tinti said.

"One of the big benefits of this ... is that it allows us to have two-way texting with the person who sent it," Tinti said. "We can go back and forth with that person."

Tinti said the tipster can opt out of the texting at anytime and would be given a new identification number if they text another tip at another time.

If the information is pertinent to another jurisdiction, Tinti said it can be forwarded to them.

Tinti emphasized that the texting system does not replace the 911 emergency call-in system. He said the texting system should not be used to report emergencies.